Donald Trump is facing a storm of criticism after his appearance at Pope Francis' funeral in Rome on Saturday (Apr 26).

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The US president, in his usual fashion, tried to make sure that the spotlight remained on him and attempted to stand out from the "crowd" during the sombre affair. However, he has been accused of showing "disrespect" to the late pontiff with his tactics.

What did Trump do at Pope Francis' funeral?

For starters, the US president drew attention for wearing a blue suit instead of the traditional black. He was also seen fiddling with his mobile phone and chewing gum during the solemn ceremony.

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President Trump's blue suit was in stark contrast to First Lady Melania Trump's outfit, who followed tradition by wearing a black dress and veil. Upon his arrival at St Peter's Basilica alongside Melania, observers quickly noted the contrast between Melania's respectful attire and Trump's choice of a lighter blue suit — an outfit widely deemed inappropriate for the occasion.

Pope's death: Another day in the office for Trump?

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Body language expert Judi James told The Mirror that Trump's clothing choice suggested a lack of understanding or care for the event's gravity.

"The blue suit and the skewed tie did suggest it was another day at the office for Trump," she said. James also pointed out the irony of Trump's attire, given his past criticisms of others — including Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky — for not dressing formally.

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"It is, of course, traditional to wear black to a funeral, and Melania seems to have been happy to comply, but Trump was dressed in this lighter shade of blue when even a deeper, darker shade of navy might have been seen as more appropriate, especially from a man who, thanks to the altercation with Zelensky in the Oval Office, sees clothing as a sign of respect," noted the body language expert.

Trump's obsession with his phone

Footage from the service also showed Trump tapping on his mobile phone and chewing gum while seated in the front row, sparking outrage across social media.

One commenter calling Trump an "uneducated turbulent teenager" fumed, "No one looked at his mobile phone like Donald Trump during the ceremony, like an uneducated turbulent teenager".

"Total disgrace. Self invite. Blue suit. Hating the pope and now attending his funeral," remarked another.

"Such a douchebag. Wearing blue, not black. On his phone at the Pope's funeral. I'm an atheist, but even I show respect for the dead. What a f*****g s**show," commented a third person.

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Trump's behaviour stood in stark contrast to the demeanour of other dignitaries, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince William, who joined 52 other heads of state and 12 reigning monarchs to pay their respects to the late pontiff. More than 250,000 mourners had visited St. Peter's Basilica during the public viewing period earlier this week.

As criticism of Trump mounted online, one user summed up the mood: "Look at our tone deaf, idiot President Trump wearing blue at Pope Francis' funeral. Not a day goes by that this makeup-covered moron doesn't embarrass us on the world stage."